Anchor construction



April 3, 1968 V P. D. GIBBONS 3,379,160

ANCHOR CONSTRUCTION Filed March 2, 1967 Paul D. Gl'bbans INVENTOK.

United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLUSURE An anchor having two flukes secured together and a stern secured to the fiukes at an angle. The anchoring line is secured directly to the flukes.

This invention relates to significantly new and highly useful improvements in a marine anchor which is such in design and construction that it is capable of being readily dislodged and freed from its place of anchorage, and then retrieved without having to slacken the captive anchor line or chain, as the case may be.

As will be evident from the views of the drawing, the anchor can be and customarily is equipped with two lines, one of which is set forth as an anchor line, a suitable chain, for example, and the other one as a so-called trip line. Some boat owners prefer and use both lines, while others, perhaps the majority, prefer to intentionally pull the boat back to and beyond the embedded anchor for onthe-spot hoisting and recovery. For purposes of better comprehending the nature and scope of the concept, the disclosure shows the dual selective line arrangement and is to be construed accordingly.

Briefly, the invention has to do with (1) head and body means, (2) an elongated stem or shank which is preferably, but not necessarily, hollow, (3) a bridle piv otally mounted on the head for attachment thereto of a captive chain, the main anchor line, (4) a special pur pose bracket which is a component of the head and which is detachably bolted to the suitably mitered leading end of the angularly mounted stem, (5) and the optional trip line whose trailing and stem levering end is properly attached to the water bottom drag-along or trailing end of the stem.

As will be hereinafter more fully appreciated the head and body means, which is of unitary construction, is novel in that it is characterized 'by a pair of coplanar sub stantially triangulate blades which are more specifically referred to as flat-faced companion flukes. The forward or leading ends of the flukes are pointed and are adapted to be embedded in the bottom of the water. The rearward ends have suitable shanks which are flat and are provided with abutting edges. The lengthwise adjacent edges of the two flukes define an intervening V-shaped crotch. The shank portions are superimposed on the body or plate part of an adapter bracket. The adapter bracket is novel in that it provides not only a base for bolting of the shank portions of the flukes thereon, the plate has a suitable angular flange, usually disposed at about 50 degrees and it is the flange which is provided with a fixed laterally projecting lug and the lug fits telescopingly into the hollow leading or forward end portion of the stem.

The invention also features eyebolts. The eyebolts serve to interconnect the plate and shank portions of the two fiukes. In addition, the eyes serve to accommodate the attaching and linking cross member or base portion of the triangular shaped bridle or harness. The Vertex portion of the bridle serves to accommodate the end portion of the anchoring chain.

Then, too, and in addition, a block-like or equivalent member is fitted at an oblique angle in the rearward or trailing end of the hollow portion of the stern and is so arranged as to permit the attachment thereto of the trailing end of a trip-line which, as already mentioned, is a desirable but nevertheless an optional feature of the overall combination.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in front elevation of a ready-touse retrievable boat anchor constructed in accordance with the invention herein under consideration;

FIGURE 2 is a view on an enlarged scale, with parts appearing in elevation, and taken on the section line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view in perspective drawn on a small scale and showing the anchor being lowered into a body of water by way of the tautened chain (arrow A) the pivoted bridle being vertical, and the stem and loose trip line hanging down and descending unhampered;

FIGURE 4 is likewise a view in perspective but showing how the leading pointed ends of the fiukes or tines forcibly dig into the waters bottom when the pull chain is tautened (arrow B) and put under anchor-dragging and fluke-embedding tension or strain;

FIGURE 5 is a view also in perspective and serving to show how the optional trip and retrieving line (arrow C) comes into play in a manner to employ the stern as a lever, whereby to dislodge the flukes (without slackening the anchor line or chain) and thus free the overall anchor for retrieval;

FIGURE 6 is likewise a perspective view which shows the trip line omitted and wherein the anchor line or chain is now being pulled upwardly, with the boat backed to a position above and to the left (not shown) of the anchor, as indicated by the arrow D.

As will be further evident and by glancing at the views of the overall drawing, the construction, that is, the details and component parts, of the overall ready-to-use anchor are as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIGS. 3 to 6 are, as indicated, perspective views illustrating the manner in which the anchor can be and preferably is used.

With reference first to FIG. 1, the body or head unit or means is denoted generally by the numeral 8, the stem or shank by the numeral 10, the main anchor line or chain by the numeral 12 and the auxiliary optional trip line by the numeral 14.

As shown in FIG. 2, the elongated rigid stem 16 is preferably but not necessarily in cross-section and the hollow portion is denoted at 18. The forward or leading end is mitered as at 20 and the rearward or trailing end is straight across and denoted at 22 and 26. A block-like or equivalent rigid metal insert 24 is provided and is cocked or canted at the approximate angle shown best in FIG. 2 and has one end portion fitting telescopically into the end of the tube and welded in place as at 22 and 26. The centrally apertured portion 28 of this block-like member serves to accommodate the knotted trailing end 30 of the aforementioned trip cable or line 14.

Taking up now the details of the head .or body attention is first directed to an adapter bracket which is denoted generally by the numeral 32 and which comprises a truncated triangulate flat-faced plate 34 whose truncated end portion is provided with an oblique angled flange 36. This flanged end portion of the plate is fittingly joined to an appropriately notched end portion of a lateral centralized lug 38 which is suitably constructed to fit telescopingly into the hollow end portion 40', the same being removably secured therein by a bolt 42 which extends through the walls of the stem and through a hole in the lug and is secured in place by an assembling and retaining nut 44 in the manner shown best in FIG. 1. The plate portion of the bracket serves to accommodate the shank portions 46 .of a pair of duplicate substantially triangulate tines or blades which are specifically referred to as flukes 48. The flukes have leading pointed ends 50 which are adapted to be forcibly embedded in the waters bottom or anchorage as shown in FIG. 4. The opposed converging edge portions 52 coact in providing a substantially V-shaped crotch 54. The abutting edges of the shank portions are denoted at 56 as shown best in FIG. 1.

The shank portions 46 are superimposed and held in position on the plate 34 by properly orientated eyebolts. The shank of each bolt is denoted at 58 and passes through the shank portion and plate in each instance and is held in place by a nut 60. The eye which is on the exposed front side is denoted at 62. These eyes are properly aligned and centered with respect to the longitudinal axis of the stem. They are also properly orientated with respect to the coacting relationship of the two coplanar flukes 48. Accordingly, the eyes are thus in a satisfactory position to accommodate the pivotally mounted bridle or harness 64. This part is of triangular-shaped configuration with 1-.

its base portion passing through eyes 62 and has an eye at its vertex portion as at 68 to which the adjacent end of the aforementioned chain is connected in the manner shown. It is deemed advisable to list here the features and advantages of the construction shown and thus far described, to wit:

(1) A rigid stem, attached by a bolt to the back of main body of anchor, at an angle which holds the fluke points in position to dig immediately on contact with bottom.

(2) A rigid stem, of hollow rectangular tubing, removable from the anchor body by unbolting, for purpose of inserting additional weight, and for economical storage.

(3) A rigid stem, having at its outer end a hole for purpose of attaching a second line, by means of which the anchor may be released and pulled from an anchored position without necessity of moving the boat to or beyond the anchor.

(4) A triangular shaped bridle or harness for attaching the anchor line, linked to eyebolts in a manner designed to hold the flukes and back plate together as a unit.

(5) A triangular shaped harness, intended by such triangular shape to equalize the pull of the anchor line against each fluke when on bottom.

(6) A triangular shaped harness which when laid back against the oblique angled flange leaves no corners or obstructions when withdrawing from bottom.

(7) A triangular shaped harness which, by moving the 'boat from its anchored position to a position above or beyond the anchor, will swing back with the anchor line to a position which will enable the flukes to be pulled straight out by the use of the anchor line, and without the use of the trip line.

It is submitted that the details of construction are clear after having considered the description in conjunction with FIGS. 1 and 2. The manner of using the anchor is believed to be self-evident after having considered the perspective views identified as FIGS. 3 to 6, inclusive. Accordingly, a more extended description is deemed to be unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A retrievable anchor comprising: head and body means embodying a pair of coplanar triangulate flukes having inward lengthwise marginal edges disposed in con verging relationship and defining a substantially V-shaped crotch between said edges, the leading forward ends of said flukes being sharp-pointed and adapted to penetrate, dig and anchor themselves in the waters bottom, an adapter bracket embodying a flat backing and mounting plate, said flukes having coplanar shank portions superimposed flatwise upon a mounting surface of said plate with orientated marginal edge portions abutting each other, and an elongated rigid stem having a forward end securely joined to a cooperating median portion of said plate, the longitudinal axis of said stem being disposed at an angle oblique to the overall plane of said flukes to cause the rearward end of the stem to ride and drag on said bottom and the pointed ends of the flukes to pitch forward and dig in immediately upon coming into embedding contact with said bottom.

2. The anchor according to claim 1, and in combination, an anchor line, a chain, for example, and pull-actuated means operatively joining the trailing end of said anchor line to the shank portions of said flukes.

3. The anchor according to claim 2, and wherein said means comprises a triangular-shaped bridle connected and thus harnessed, said bridle being pivotably connected through eyebolts with the respectively cooperating shank portions of said flukes.

4. The anchor according to claim 2, and a separate and independent optionally usable hand controlled releasing and retrieving line having a rearward end joined to the trailing end of said stem.

5. The anchor according to claim 1, and wherein the backing and mounting plate of said bracket completely underlies and supports the shank portions of flukes atop said plate, said shank portions being secured in place by nut-retained eyebolts, said plate having one marginal edge provided with an oblique angled flange, said stem being hollow, said flange being provided on a median portion with a fixed laterally projecting lug, said lug fitting telescopingly but removably in a hollow portion at said forward end and being removably bolted in place at said forward end portion.

6. The anchor according to claim 1, and in combination, a lifting, lowering and pull exerting chain, a triangular-shaped bridle linked to and thus pivotally joined with the respectively coordinated eyes of said eyebolts, the rearward trailing end of said chain being operatively connected with the vertex portion of said triangularshaped bridle.

7. The anchor defined in and according to claim 6, and wherein a block-like member is fixed in the hollow portion of the trailing end of said stem and is canted at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of said stem, and an optionally usable hand-controlled manually pulled trip line independent from said pull chain and having its trippable end operatively connected with said block-like member in a manner to dislodge and uproot said flukes when so desired.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1962 Hardy 1l4207 5/1965 Winslow l14208 

